Product Spotlight

Never Bin Better

We’ll help you find durable on-site grain storage that will grow with your operation.

With another bumper crop forecasted for this harvest season and previous seasons’ grain still in the bins, now’s the time to consider expanding on-farm storage for next season. No matter how high yields are, favorable grain prices at harvest time are never guaranteed. Bins and hoppers protect one of your farm’s most valuable assets so you can manage risk and capitalize on better prices when the market is up. We’ve rounded up bins from the leading grain-storage manufacturers to help keep your grain safe and dry so you can maximize profitability. Read more

For the Long Haul: The latest hopper trailers simplify grain transportation and handling

Grain trailer manufacturers continue to innovate, increasing the strength and durability of their product lines while shedding weight. After all, more payload means more profit. We rounded up some of latest hopper trailers and their key features that will help you load/unload and haul your bulk commodities more efficiently.

Massey Harris employee Peter Pakosh invented the first grain auger in 1945 in the basement of his Toronto home and completed a prototype in 1946. Massey rejected his idea so he started his own company, Hydraulic Engineering. Since then, grain auger technology has continued to be refined and perfected for more efficient ways to move grain into storage. We took a look at some of the latest auger models from the top manufacturers and their key features. Read more

Harvest will be here before you know it, and that means pork producers and grain farmers will soon prep for fall field nutrient applications. The Illinois Pork Producers Association reminds producers to pay attention to details, as they pump manure that will be applied on crop acres as a sustainable fertilizer option.

“Manure is a good crop fertilizer product. We have better tools, better methods and training, and better science than ever for using this valuable resource,” says Ted Funk, retired University of Illinois Extension specialist and pork industry consultant. “America's Heartland has a fantastic infrastructure for growing grain, and several benefits exist for using manure for Illinois crops.” Read more

Working Side by Side: the latest UTVs are the perfect farm hands

Whether you call them utility task/terrain vehicles (UTVs) or side-by-sides, these compact workhorses can haul—in more ways than one. Known for their off-road performance, payload capacity and available attachments, UTVs have made themselves at home on many farms, ranches and acreages. Some new machines can even convert their beds into more passenger seating. We took a look at several of the latest UTV models from the leading manufacturers. Read more

Smells Like Money: Get manure under control with the latest spreaders

When properly managed, manure can be a valuable resource—adding nutrients to the soil to fertilize crops and pastures. It can also improve tilth and boost soil’s water-holding capacity. If not handled or applied correctly, manure can pollute the environment, including air and water, and attract pests. Many county extension offices provide resources on nutrient management and manure spreader calibration settings. We looked at several of the latest “honey wagons” to help you conquer muck and enrich your operation’s soil. Read more

Here are tips to find the right unit for your home or operation

By Brent Peterson

Heating a farmhouse and farm buildings can be expensive. Outdoor furnaces that burn wood or wood pellets can be a great option for farms looking to control heating costs. For farms with wood readily available, that can mean eliminating heating costs completely. Read more

The latest outdoor hydronic furnaces use less wood, burn cleaner

Many people rely on wood, a renewable resource, to heat their homes, outbuildings and water. Outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters, also called outdoor wood-fired boilers or furnaces, burn wood to heat fluid, which is piped to buildings to provide heat and hot water. The efficient design of the latest “gasification” units extracts more useable heat from less wood than older types of outdoor furnaces. The high-temperature gas combustion significantly reduces emissions, prevents creosote buildup and minimizes ash buildup in the units when used with dry, seasoned wood. We looked at some of the latest outdoor hydronic heaters that meet the EPA’s 2015 emissions standards.

As field sizes have increased, corn heads, drapers and platforms have become larger and more expensive. Combine header transport trailers secure that equipment, allowing it to be safely hauled from field to field and farm to farm. They keep equipment off the ground and are often used to store heads in barns and machine sheds year round. Some models are designed to travel at highway speeds, are licensable, and include lighting and brakes. We looked at several dependable models from the leading manufacturers and their key features. Read more

An agricultural building is no longer just a barn. It's an equipment storage shed, warehouse, milking parlor, free stall barn, workshop, office, home or any combination of these. Whether you need a place for your machinery, your livestock or even your family, consider structures from the following manufacturers.